One of the Louis Erard brand's specialties is collaborating with independent watchmakers whose works are typically highly limited and very expensive, to create accessible watches that still contain that watchmaker’s personality. In doing so, they give a new audience of watch enthusiasts the ability to own something created by a contemporary master who might not have been able to otherwise. For their most recent collaboration, they have teamed up with Cédric Johner, a watchmaker and jeweler who only creates a few watches yearly.

Mr. Johner's approach to watchmaking, which he refers to as “intuitive watchmaking,” is a testament to his craftsmanship. Each of his watches is meticulously handcrafted, without the aid of preexisting plans or computer assistance. This seemingly unstructured method, however, results in a unique and recognizable aesthetic. For the collaboration with Louis Erard, the brands have ingeniously distilled Mr. Johner’s intuitive design language into watches that can be replicated, yet still bear the unmistakable mark of handmade artistry.

Based on the 39mm Elegance case, these Regulators feature softened hexagonal dial openings with sapphire crystals to match, echoing Mr. Johner’s “Abyss” case design. The dials within, available in a rich blue or a subtle mauve, feature a twisting motif and large, scalloped sub-dials in a deep gray tone for the hours and seconds. Mr. Johner’s signature, gestural Roman numerals add another distinctive touch to the elegant design.

One last and very significant element to this collaboration is a hand-decorated rotor. Each watch in this limited edition features a Selitta SW266-1 movement with a rotor that Mr. Johner has engraved with 230 “beads.” A first for a Louis Erard collaboration, it is truly remarkable that each watch in the series of 356 (178 per color) features a handmade component, making these truly special pieces.